Lonely Hearts Song
by rosemasquerader
Summary: A young woman has lost everything, the Phantom has lost everything. Will they be able to mend their broken hearts.
1. Gain and then Loss

The Lonely Hearts Song 

It was evening by the time she got home, high upon her horse like a fine lady. Her family looked out their windows to see her return. They all smiled as her horse reeled in and spun down towards the cottage. The family tradition was played.

Katherine grinned as she saw her family pile out of the house, small compared to others but large enough for their family. Her family consisted of her English red-haired General father, strong in heart only weakened by the loss of a child. Her French blond mother was petite, ladylike and as sweet as a mother can be. Her little sister, Marie Claire, 6, and little brother, Jean, 3 were both the most energetic children one could meet in their lifetime. Katie had just come back from her aunt's in Paris. As soon as she got off her horse so gently that her family gasped in delight they gathered around barely letting her to breath.

Her father smiled at her, "I'm glad to have you back, we've missed you."

Little Mae bounced up and down her golden locks flying about her, "Did you get anything for me? You promised you would, and you never break a promise."

"Marie Claire Hartington! That is very improper of you. How many times must I tell you not to speak unless you are spoken to?"

"But Mamma I…"

Gently interrupting her, and kissing her mother's cheek, "It's all right, mother. Any way I did promise." On saying so she brought out a box full of sweets for Mae and a big sucker for Jean.

"And as for you.." Heading towards her older brother. Edward and her playfully fought together as they used to.

Her mother shook her head, but still smiled, "Now come, come, children it's time for a delicious home-coming meal and don't forget Katherine you must tell us of everything that happened during your stay in Paris." All laughed and gleefully went inside.

All of the sudden Katie woke up. There seemed to be a sound of cracking and sudden exploding, almost like the fireworks she used to see in Paris. She had written about them to her fiancé, Pierre and as well as her family. Pierre had promised to give her surprise on the third week back from Paris. She was curious yet she sincerely hoped he hadn't spent too much money on it.

At that moment her mother rushed in, "My dear you must come out on the terrace right away."

"What is it, Mother?" as she was slipping on her slippers and robe.

"Never mind that, just hurry before it finishes."

"Before what finishes?" she sighed as she followed her mother out.

"What is it, Katie?" Teddy came out, rubbing his neck in weariness.

"I don't know, but I can't wait, it must be important to get mother up in the middle of the night." When they reached the terrace they gasped in delight. The sky was ablaze in lights and colors. It was as if the colors themselves were bursting at their seams and then they would explode. The fireworks lit the skies, almost to the point that the stars seemed to envy them because of their brilliance.

The only thing brighter was the smile on Katherine's face.

It was a rainy, stormy afternoon; Mother had been knitting quietly, Katie reading, and the toddlers playing on the floor while the General looked over his spectacles over-seeing them. Edward had gone to town with Pierre to get a surprise for their families for when the wedding came about.

As they were coming home, the storm hit. They could barely see their way, both decided it would be best to stay at Pierre's uncle's till' the storm calmed. In order to go there, they had to cross a bridge. Their horses turned away. A wind picked up, it blew without stop. They could barely see farther than their horse's noses. They uselessly looked for a place to hide. Suddenly, the boards of the bridge began to creak and bend. Hurriedly, Pierre tried to get his horse off, but without success for at that second, the bridge collapsed.

There was a pounding on the door. Bettina hurried to the door, muttering to herself, "Who in the world would call at this time of night?"

Her husband was at the door, he was white as a sheet and seemed terribly shaken. She held her arms out to him. He shrugged them away and said he must speak to the General; the words he needed to say seemed to drain every bit of energy out of him.

"Why, Gerard, what are you doing here at this hour of the night?" Katherine's father exclaimed.

"Gerard, are you all right, you look terribly pale?" Mother asked worriedly, fetching a blanket for his shoulders. When she brought it over he rejected.

"I don't deserve such kindness for what I must tell you." The family looked at each other quizzically.

Gerard uneasily began, "As I was coming back from town, a storm hit. I was not ready to face it, so I took care and went to the tavern," At this he looked nervously at his wife and then continued. "Just till' the storm wore out. But as I was about to decide to bunker there for the night one of them stable boys burst in and yelled, 'The south bridge has collapsed!' 'That's alright,' said the bartender, 'nobody's foolish enough to cross that bridge in this weather.' 'But monsieur, there was two horses by the riverbank and they seemed scared out of their wits.' As he was saying this all the men were gathering' up anything that could float, as well as ropes and such. We rescued one man, but he died in my arms, the other man was found dead a couple miles down river." The family fell silent.

Katie finally asked, "Were you able to find out who they were?" He turned away and spoke quietly, "Yes." He looked into the General's eyes and then right back down.

"Tell us." The General commanded.

"The man who died in my arms clung to me with his last strength and made me swear to take care of his family, especially Katie…. his sister."

The funeral was held the next day. It was sunny and a beautiful rainbow swept over the sky. The whole town gathered there, as well as Katie's aunt from Paris (whom was heartbroken because of her nephew's death, yet relieved that Katie wasn't to become a widow at such a young age.

The families huddled together after the funerals and burials.

Slowly they departed not knowing what to say for each father and mother had lost a son on that awful night of storms and lightning. They only could glance at each other sadly, then slowly and regretfully turn away. All were thinking a similar thought,

"If only."

The family was plunged into darkness. Aunt Giselle at last went back to Paris after staying half a year with the family, comforting them. She said she had things to do needed to catch up. But Katie knew that her aunt needed to leave the grief behind. How Katie wished to do so, but then she'd feel guilty. Her father didn't read the newspaper anymore in the living room, her mother no longer sung lullabies to the babies. Certain things that seemed so normal, the picnics and the song filled evenings no longer existed. Katie no longer had that spark in her. Yet she tried her best for her parents, for the house almost was as silent as a tomb except for the occasional quarrels of the children. The house was dreary with no more light days.


	2. Forgotten and then Found

The darkness seemed to swallow them up, yet it seemed as if there was a light at the end of the dark tunnel when Aunt Giselle's letter came, a light of hope. In the letter she stated her absolute wish that Katherine come to her in Paris. Her parents both agreed that it would be the best thing for her. At first, she relented saying she had to help with the smaller ones, but her mother insisted upon it, so eventually she did go.

The trip seemed extensive, but at last she arrived in Paris. Her aunt was overjoyed. There were house parties and gatherings, but more and more Katherine began to look weaker day by day. Finally the family's doctor insisted that she engage in an activity that would involve her completely so she could not dwell on her loss and grieving; either that or he was afraid they might lose her. Her aunt couldn't think of any, until a friend suggested putting Katie into a ballet class in the Paris Opera House. At first, the aunt was horrified by such a suggestion, but as Katherine grew weaker and paler and nothing else came up, she relented. She bought the best uniforms she could find and then sent her niece for her new and last hope.

Katherine had taken ballet classes before, rather dance classes. So, she already was familiar with almost all the dance steps. At first, she just did it to make her aunt feel better, for she knew her aunt was scared she would be lost and at times she had felt like she would rather be than go to all the parties as if nothing had happened. She at times felt to forget her loss she'd rather die. She had been so close before she had started the lessons that Giselle had fretted that she was too late in making her decision, thus disregarding all tales she'd heard of the Paris Opera House.

Soon afterward Katherine began the head instructor took her aside and told her that if she put her heart into her dancing she may soon forget the pain that haunted her. Soon enough she listened and found out that the ballet mistress was right. She gradually forgot the hardships. She was fitted into the choir, as well. Yet she heard that never again would they have a margarita. The very day she arrived she learned so many wonderful heart- soul songs that seemed to express every pain that she was feeling. She began to hum the songs accidentally to herself. She found that as soon as she began immersing herself in the music, she forgot about her surroundings and her troubles, as if they melted away. She found that by the end of her first lesson she was invigorated.

As she waited for her aunt to come and pick her up she went off to explore. She passed the levels slowly at first, but then they seemed to all come together as she reached higher and higher up in the opera house's floors. She began to hum quietly to herself the song she'd learned and refused to remember how her heart had ached the mornings before that day. Her mind seemed to be jumping up and down in all directions. She reached a door at the end of the floor. She jerked at the handle lightly at first then harder, her long golden hair swished as she finally pulled the door open. A gust of cold air rushed past her, lifting her hem up lightly. Her hair was blown every which way as she stepped onto the roof. She closed the door lightly only leaving a bit of space so she could leave. The roof stretched ahead of her. She walked slowly across it, as she began humming once again, louder and louder until she began singing it quietly at first, then with more passion, her voice resonated throughout the whole space of the roof. She stopped abruptly in mid-sentence, looked around and twisted her ring on her finger, her engagement ring Pierre had given her so long ago. She became a bit restless.

"Hello? Bonjour, monsieur, madam?" She looked around her confused she had been so sure she had heard a rushing of steps across the cement floor, but perhaps she had been dreaming.

Suddenly the roof door flung open, "Katherine, my dear, the coach has been waiting for more time than is necessary." Giselle, looked at Katie's flushed cheeks. "Oh, my dear you'll get a cold? Now come with me, dear child, before you catch your death out here. Katie turned towards her and smiled, her first smile for almost a year. As the door closed behind them, two eyes of a night bird, once full of fire, watched wearily.


	3. Paris Opera House

romantic.nightmares: Thank you for your good review. So far you're the only one who has reviewed. So, thanks for taking your time to do so.

**Here it is, hope you like this next chapter. Sorry that Erik comes only in glimpses and shadows at first, I'm trying to show Katherine's side first. Thanks for being patient. Hope you enjoy! **

As the days passed Katherine grew stronger and more confident, not only physically but also regarding her talents in ballet and singing choir. All the while two now curious eyes watched unsure of what to do next, it was the first time he ever-felt uncertainty. Paris Opera House had grabbed Katie's attention vastly, she spent most of her time doing her lessons, which took eight hours each day, and exploring the place. She felt almost as if she were a small child again, playing hide-and-go-seek with her brother and exploring "distant lands." Often her thoughts wondered to Teddy and her fiancé, but she tried desperately not to, for it was just too painful for her heart to bare the hurt any longer.

A week had passed since she had first enrolled. She'd learned two new songs. She began a tradition, whenever her lesson was complete, she'd run through the halls (forgetting to be ladylike at times, but with no aunt to shun her around) and up the stairs of the Opera House, to the roof. There where she was alone, she would immense herself in remembering her new steps, then at the end she would sing the melodies which she had learned. She found that when she sang it would help to dance along that way the time and rhythm were complete. She did not think of her past life, she was afraid of the thoughts and feelings that might come along with the memories.

The former owners of the Opera House came one day, no one knew why only that as soon as they came out of the office they had thrown a newspaper rather dramatically into a wastebasket, just outside the door. A maid who was trusted enough to clean the office, had taken it out. She had found it turned to a particular page, yet there was not a thing of value or interest in it, so she disregarded the curious actions of the mangers. She had been curious to why they had come and left so quickly, oh well she thought.

Katie was nearly herself again, except she would never again be that person she had once been before the accident. To everyone who met her the first time she had seemed small, frail and sick. They could see in her eyes, then, that all hope was gone and that she had an extreme loss. Yet, as she grew stronger they saw something in her eyes. Determination? Her eyes were so mystifying, that everyone who met her, now, wanted to find out their secrets. She had begun to swell with pride, at her accomplishments, yet she never looked down at anyone. She still realized that there were those who were still more talented than she. She learned faster than anyone had ever known about in the history of ballet. She learned accurately and efficiently. Her instructors looked over all their students and agreed with one another that she was one of the best.

Winter came and through it came a new year. Katie turned 18 in a flash. Her aunt went off for a visit to her brother, asked if Katie would like to come along, yet Katie wanted to stay and continue with her lessons. When there was on place Katie could stay, her aunt sighed and thought a month at the Opera House wouldn't be too much of a hazard, suggesting that Katie would excel further.

The Opera House had a small rectangular kitchen, for the preparation of meals on big theater nights. There was a cook that had become a nanny to Katie, in a sense. Madame Claire Fair. She had an air about her that a person always felt welcome in her presence. Thus, when her aunt left Nanny became like a second mother to the girl and protected her from the rougher sort of the opera house. But she couldn't protect her forever.

**A/N: Next chapter I promise you'll see Erik. Thanks for your review. Please give more. **


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